The Sonora Raiders will head out to square off against the Esperanza Aztecs at 3:15 p.m. on Monday. Sonora's pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so Esperanza's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
On Friday, Sonora came up short against Yorba Linda and fell 4-1.
Sonora saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Chris Perez, who went 1-for-2 with one double.
Esperanza came out on top against Troy on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run fourth inning. The Aztecs put the hurt on the Warriors with a sharp 7-1 victory. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Aztecs have posted against the Warriors since February 25, 2022.
Connor Forshee spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on four hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Esperanza let Bishop Thomas and David Salholm run wild. Thomas went 1-for-3 with two runs and one double, while Salholm went 2-for-3 with two runs. Salholm is becoming a predictor of Esperanza's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 7-2 (and 7-10 when he doesn't). Nick Goode was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Esperanza's victory bumped their record up to 14-12. As for Sonora, their defeat dropped their record down to 15-10.
Sonora got the 'W' in their previous matchup back in April against Esperanza by a conclusive 8-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Raiders since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
